title: Intravenous thrombolysis for acute ischaemic stroke: effective blood pressure control matters.
abstract: In this Leading opinion we summarise the observational evidence endorsing current guidelines that advocate effective blood pressure control before and during an rtPA infusion and indicate that a more active blood pressure-lowering approach immediately after intravenous thrombolysis appears to be a promising therapeutic option that should be formerly evaluated in a randomised clinical trial setting. Acute ischaemic stroke is a highly treatable neuroemergency and the efficacy of the available treatment is not only related to the speed by which it is administered but also by the effective control of modifiable adverse outcome predictors including elevated blood pressure levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Democritus University of Thrace, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece. tsivgoulisgiorg@yahoo.gr
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tsivgoulis
authors.forename: Vasilios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kotsis
authors.forename: Sotirios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giannopoulos
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator